Leather-stretching device.



UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN OALDIVELL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO W. S. NOTTCOMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION.

LEATHER-STR-ETQCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 692,61 5, datedFebruary 4, 1902.

Application filed November 19, 1901- Serial No. 82,816. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CALDWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather-StretchingDevices,

of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to the clamps or devices used in connection withleather-stretching machines for holding the ends of the leather duringthe operation of stretching it;andtheobjectofthepresentinventionisanimprovement of the means forconnecting such leather-holders to. the heads or other appropriate partsof the stretching mechanism.

My improvements, stated in a general way, consist in providing thestretcher-head with a series of slots extending lengthwise of thestretching-frame, the walls of the slots having vertical orsuitably-slanting notches, corrugations, or likeirregularities ofsurface and independent leather-holder coupling devices consisting ofplugs or smallmetal bodies having their side Walls adapted to fit in theslots at selected points and engage the irregular surfaces of theslot-walls, and thereby become locked to retain the leather-holders inplace, and means for detachably and preferably pivotally connectingleather-holders to the coupling devices. Such devices are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portionof a stretcher head and frame equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 is asimilar view, enlarged, of a portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a portionof the stretcher-head in vertical section and a leather-holder and itscoupling device in side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a detail of thecoupling device viewed from beneath. In the drawings thereference-number l designates one of the sides of an ordinaryreotangnlarstretcher-frame, and 2 its stationary head, secured theretoby bolts or in any suitable way.

taining the stationary head is selected for convenience of illustration;but my improvements are applicable as well to the slidable head of theapparatus.

On the surface of the head (which may be of wood) is secured a metalplate 3, extending from side to side of the head and having The portionof the apparatus conshort metal body 6 of proper size to enter a slot 4and having on its side walls suitable notches or irregularities 7 forengaging the irregularities of surface of the slot-walls to hold theplug against movementalong the slot when subjected to tension. On theupper surface of the plug is placed a plate or other suitable body ofmetal 8, and the two members are connected by a pivot 9, 'so that theplate may turn freely on the plug" For convenience in handlingthe devicethe plate 8 is provided with a handle 10, which is preferably formed onthe upper end of the pivot 9. The forward endof the plate 8 is preferably provided with a hook 11 for making connection with theleather-holder The holder selected for illustrationyis of the clampform, comprising a base-plate 12 and an upper movable jaw 13, the basemember having a tailpiece 14, provided with an opening 15, convexedtoward the coupling device and adapting itto receive the hook of thecoupling device and permit the holder to be adjusted laterally on itspivotal connection and to swing freely under tension.

In a practical application of the devices, as illustrated in Fig. l, aseries of the holders may be made to engage portions of the irregularend of a side or other division of leather L and the leather and theholders placed on the stretcher-head. The holders may then besuccessively connected to the head byinserting the plugs of the couplingdevices atproper points in the slots 4. to cause the hooks 11 to engagein the tailpiece-openings 15. The pivotal connection of the plates 8 tothe plugs 6 enables them to be turned laterally, when necessary,toproper position to engage the holders and thereafter permit freeswinging movement of the holders with respect to the plugs 6.

The subject-matter of invention herein disclosed and not herein claimedrelating to means for adjnstably pivoting the leatherholders to theircoupling devices is reserved to be claimed in my pending applications,Serial No. 1,424, filed January 15, 1900, and Serial No. 10,128, filedMarch 26, 1900.

Having described my invention, What I claim is- 1. The combination witha stretcher-head having a slot extending in the direction of themachines tension, the side Walls of the slot having irregularities ofsurface, of an independent leather-holder coupling device provided witha body adapted to be inserted and retained in such slot to connect aleatherholder to the stretcher-head, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a stretcher-head having a slot extending in thedirection of the machines tension, the side walls ofi the slot havingirregularities of surface, of an independent leather-holder couplingdevice provided with a body adapted to be inserted and retained in suchslot, and means for pivotally connecting a leather-holder to the coupling device, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a stretcher-head having a slot extending in thedirection of the machines tension, the side walls of the slot havingirregularities of surface, of an independent leather-holder couplingdevice provided with a pivotally-connected body adapted to be insertedand retained in such slot, and means for connecting a leatherholder tosuch coupling device, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day ofNovember, 1901.

JOHN CALDWELL.

In presence of F. H. GEORGE, P. II. GUNcKEL.

